Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Remember that bout of sniffles I mentioned in my last newsletter and how I hoped it wasn’t going to develop into anything too annoying? Welp, I tested positive for COVID the next day, so needless to say, it’s been very annoying. Thankfully, I only had one bad day where I felt like crap, but I still had to quarantine in the bedroom for five days. If you’ve seen The IT Crowd, this has been my husband’s reaction every time I come out to grab a drink. Mask up and get your boosters, people!
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
6 non-obvious book publishing trends from 2023.
New & Upcoming Titles
Publishers Weekly has shared their Spring 2024 Adult Books Preview.
Cover reveal for Brandon Sanderson’s upcoming standalone novel, The Sunlit Man.
How to navigate this year’s “glut” of celebrity memoirs.
Best books of 2023 from The Atlantic, CBC, Crime Reads, Economist, Electric Lit (fiction, nonfiction), Goodreads (staff picks), Guardian (politics), Kirkus (middle grade), LA Times, Library Journal, LitHub, New York Times (romance, SFF, thrillers, poetry, children’s books), Smithsonian, Time (nonfiction), Vogue, Vulture. (general, memoirs, comedy)
Weekly book picks from Crime Reads, LitHub, New York Times.
December/Winter 2023 picks from AARP, Bustle, Datebook, LitHub (SFF), Shondaland.
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning – Liz Cheney (The Hill, People)
Welcome Home, Stranger – Kate Christensen (Datebook, New York Times)
Rebecca, Not Becky – Catherine Wigginton Greene (Shondaland, Washington Post)
RA/Genre Resources
It’s time to read Claire Keegan.
The enduring appeal of murder and mystery.
Where to start with Stephen King’s books.
On the Riot
The best-reviewed fiction of 2023.
The best new weekly releases to TBR.
11 new December book club picks.
Should historical fiction have modern sensibilities or stick to its time?
Where to start with Octavia Butler.
All Things Comics
Best graphic novels of 2023 from Guardian, Kirkus (middle grade).
On the Riot
The 12 best comic book holiday specials.
Audiophilia
December audiobook picks from AudioFile, Washington Post.
On the Riot
The most popular audiobooks of 2023, according to Libro.fm.
The holidays have arrived, and so has our new paperback level at TBR! If you (or a reader you know) are just over-carrying around bulky hardcovers or are looking for a more budget-friendly option, we’ve got you. Check out all the offerings at mybtro.com/gift, and give personalized reading recommendations customized for any and every reader.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
Children’s books that show kids the goodness in the world.
Adults
25 classic winter books to read by the fire.
5 books to read about Sandra Day O’Connor.
14 books to get you in the winter holiday spirit.
A supernatural survival horror reading list.
The 10 best Star Wars books of all time.
On the Riot
12 of the most prolific children’s authors of all time.
10 of the most polarizing fantasy books ever written.
20 must-read queer historical fantasy books.
The best classic books that are actually worth a read.
If you enjoy the podcast Ologies, read these books.
8 romance novels with no third-act breakup.
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in Library Reads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen has a guide to discovering upcoming diverse books, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word has created a database of upcoming diverse titles to nominate as well that includes information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.
I tried to keep the cats out of Spaceship Quarantine, but Dini really wanted to join my RuPaul’s Drag Race marathon.
All right friends. Stay COVID free! I’ll see you on Friday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.